burning terms of love
by PREttYPAIN
Summary: About Keenan as a baby in Beira's court. What was it like? Who took care of him? I decided to create an OC to help the atmosphere of observation, even though she is important. OCxOC kinda?
1. Chapter 1

_Well, I decided to create an OC because I wanted a different perspective of Keenan's infant days in Beira's court. Someone who could observe and interact with the other characters. So here it is! :D_

_

* * *

_

_Chapter One_

_..._

The sprite was small, even for her kind. She had thick black hair that was more a mess than anything. She was constantly pulling it back into a leather hair band, but it didn't seem to cooperate. Consequently she always seemed a little disheveled.

Or maybe that was because she was.

Running back and forth as the Queen's personal maid was quite an experience. There always seemed to be something to do that required her silence. And more often than not she was rewarded with a month's worth of bruises.

"Blaithan!"

The sprite rushed from where she was pouring a cold drink to her Queen's side.

"Yes, my Queen?"

Beira, Queen of the Winter Court, gave the sprite a mocking smile. "You're sweet, little Blyth. And very slow." The smile froze. "Where's my drink?"

"Coming, Your Highness."

"Your Highness, Your Majesty, My Queen…all very proper and polite. But not worth a fig if you can't serve me my drink on time. Oh well, I'll get it myself. Go see to the little monster. Maybe your singing will stop his screeching."

Beira waved her hand, dismissing the sprite without another glance. Blyth took the moment to sprint away, grateful her Queen wasn't in a very violent mood. If she had been, one wrong word would've sent her sprawling. The bruise on her right leg proved it.

There was a cry in the next room and Blythe hesitated. She peered in and nodded toward the healer there. He was bending over the snowy cradle in concentration. The crying did not stop.

"Perhaps he is hungry." Blyth suggested in a whisper.

"You need not whisper, Blaithan." The healer grimaced. "This little Prince is making enough noise for that."

"I didn't know faery children could cry so much." She stepped in closer, curious as always to see the little faery. "I suppose none of us know what to do."

"None of us has seen a faery child."

Despite his current state, something about the little being made Blyth's heart twinge. He was so small.

"Beira sent me here. She said maybe my singing will soothe him."

The healer nodded. "One thing I can never understand, is how you always seem to calm him with your voice."

Blyth moved closer until she looked down at the infant and smiled. "He just needs some attention.

The healer threw up his hands in exasperation. "Don't we always give him attention?"

"Only when he cries, which is rarely if you've been keeping track." Blyth hesitated. "And its not _you_ he wants attention from."

The two Winter fey were silent then. They both knew what Blyth was speaking of. Beira came only once to see her son in all the weeks since she had returned from the Dark Court. Blyth wondered at her Queen's motives. She had been present when Beira asked a favor of the Dark King. A binding. That was what the Winter Queen had said. But Blyth had been told to leave and couldn't imagine what had transpired in the Dark King Irial's chambers. A part of her didn't want to know.

"Hush, Keenan." Blyth murmured as the healer left the room. It was empty now, and Blyth relaxed. She would settle the little Prince, as she always did.

The song she chose was one she had heard while picking berries for her Queen, one of the few tasks she enjoyed due to the distance it put between them. Because she had heard it from a Summer faery, she was careful to lower her voice. It was a beautiful melody nonetheless, even as it spoke of golden skies and green meadows. It was also the same song she used every time the infant cried.

The little Prince squirmed in his crib as Blyth sang. Without hesitation she reached out and gently picked him up, knowing she was one of the few fey who would. She held the baby close, soothing his cries.

"Come now, Keenan." She whispered, rocking the sun-bright child back and forth. "Your mother would not take kindly to a finicky little Prince."

The baby quieted, looking up at the small sprite with large, amber eyes. Every day they seemed to change. Yesterday they were so green they looked like the mossy-banks of Ireland's lakes. Now, it was like thousands of sun-beams radiated through Blyth's body.

Keenan smiled at her, his baby cheeks red with crying. Blyth hugged him closer, making him gurgle in delight.

She sighed. "She is still your mother, little Keenan. No matter how cruel she may be."

But the little Prince could not understand her. He was a child; a tiny helpless infant in a cruel, hard world of ice. It did not help that his father was once a powerful Summer King. He was gone now, proof of Beira's wicked manner, and his child was at her mercy.

Holding the little faery in her arms, Blyth felt the tears welling in her eyes. No one would be there for him, not really. He was all alone in a world that would hurt him. It was not fair, and despite her head reminding her of her duty, she blocked out all common sense and promised herself one thing. She alone would be his one protection, his safeguard against all the pain others would try to inflict on him. In all the weeks Beira had saddled him off on Blyth, she had grown to love the little Prince as her own. Every time he was away her arms ached to hold him and keep him safe from Beira's tantrums and foul moods.

"Don't be afraid, little one." She murmured, kissing the child's small forehead. She could feel the warmth of his little body. "You shall never be harmed. Beira may be your mother and my queen, but I will cross her if she ever hurts you."

And with that, Blyth sealed her promise. He was her world now. She would care for him as his own mother did not.

* * *

_Aw :( Poor baby Keenan. Alot of people don't like him in the books, but I feel sorry for him. Growing up with Beira as a mom has got to scar you a little. :/ _

_Reviews anyone? XD_


	2. Chapter 2

_So life is nuts right now, but I'm still updating as a sworn duty. _

_Disclaimer: You already know the drill_

* * *

_Chapter Two_

_..._

"There, little one. All comfortable."

Blyth had lay Keenan on a soft, wool blanket. He was old enough now to move and crawl. He was more beautiful every day, and Blyth felt her heart swell each time she saw him.

Beira had to speak with the Dark King, for what Blyth had no clue. But she was ecstatic that her Queen had asked her to take the little Prince out. It was to distract the other fey, Blyth knew. Whatever Beira and Irial were up to, she didn't want any company around to snoop. It unnerved Blyth, but she was only a servant. The politics of the Courts was not something she knew enough of. For now, she was content to obey her Queen and keep Keenan safe. Safe, of course meant many guards and nurse-maids.

Still, it was a pleasant afternoon in the forest. They had found a grassy knoll beside a riverbed to lounge about. Two other wood-sprites accompanied Blyth and Keenan, followed by several other Winter fey. The guards loosely surrounded them, alert for trouble.

"It's awfully suspicious, if you ask me." The blonde sprite beside Blyth said, her eyes darting through the trees.

"Well, no one asked you, _Katie_." The reply came from the sprite laying lazily on the blanket, her blonde-blue hair willowing about her pale face. "And anyways, it's not so suspicious as it is rude."

Blyth followed the blonde's gaze to where several Summer fey were gathered around, looking curiously at the child of their former King. It was no surprise that they were intrigued. It was a shock to the faery courts that Beira had given birth to King Miach's son. Feary births were rare enough. The Queen of the Winter court giving birth to the Summer King's child was enough to send plenty of the faery world reeling.

"Their curious, is all." Blyth replied evenly, stroking Keenan's soft, wispy hair. It was starting to turn a wonderful coppery color. "I would be too, if I were in their place."

"A faery child is a thing to see." The blue-haired sprite grinned as Keenan played with her hair. The child had softened the sprite's icy exterior, if only a little. Mostly she put up with him due to her Queen's commands.

Katie on the other hand, blonde and bouncy, regarded Keenan as a novelty. A rare, cute thing that other faeries rarely encountered. She pounced over to him, grabbing his stomach and tickling him. If she was new to handling children, it didn't show. Blyth only regretted that Katie didn't really love Keenan the way she did.

Watching Keenan laugh at Katie's silly faces, Blyth felt her heart ache a little. None of the other Winter fey felt as she did toward the boy. Most did not come into contact with him except for a few glimpses, so she couldn't fault them for not caring. But the guards that protected him only did so because Beira asked it of them. Blyth could see the fear mixed in their eyes each time the child glowed with Summer's heat.

"There, now." Katie pouted, holding Keenan up. "Blythy is looking very sad, little prince. Shall we cheer her up?"

Keenan jumped, making little baby noises and Blyth smiled; all her thoughts forgotten.

"How about a song, Blythy?" Katie asked, settling Keenan into her companions lap.

The blue-haired sprite sat up, a crooked smile on her face. "Yes, Blyth. Show those hot-headed Summer fey the beauty of Winter. Freeze their blood with your song."

Blyth ducked her head, aware that the Summer fey were now watching her hold Keenan. He snuggled close to her and she wrapped her arms around him. "I don't know, Moriana." she hesitated.

"Come now, Blyth." Katie prompted, Moriana nodding in agreement. "Your voice is the most beautiful in all the lands."

"That's a lot coming from us." Moriana added, twisting her blue hair into a bun. "We rarely give out compliments."

Glancing up, Blyth could see the wondering faces of the Summer fey. Some looked entirely shocked at Blyh's display of affection toward their deceased King's son, and possible heir. Blyth couldn't help but think that if Beira had it her way, he wouldn't be anyone's heir.

"They think we're as cold-hearted and cruel as..." Katie stopped short, glancing at Moriana who looked equally as grave. "Well, you know."

Moriana merely leaned toward Blyth, a cold look in her silver eyes. "Show them we aren't. Show them the passion of Winter. Show them all we are."

Blyth looked at the faces of her companions, then at the other Winter fey who watched with slight smiles. The Summer court had no idea about any of them. True, some were cruel and violent. But there was a time when Winter was a thing of not only harshness, but of grace and wonder. The snowflakes that fell from the sky were such delicate, wondrous things Blyth could not see why the Summer fey hated them so.

The Winter fey deserved to be seen. They deserved more than what Beira made them.

"All right then, one song. How does that sound, little one?" She brushed Keenan's cheek. "You like my singing, do you not?"

Blyth had loved to sing to Keenan when he was falling asleep. Singing seemed to soothe him when Beira was being more than unfriendly. It helped to ease the ache of the chill Beira would send out, seeming to forget how it sometimes hurt her son more than the others.

Thinking of it now, Blyth only felt her voice becoming stronger. She closed her eyes and let the song pour out, imagining the whiteness of the hills; the falling snow.

When she was done, the Winter fey merely nodded in appreciation while Moriana and Katie clapped wildly.

"Got them all flustered!" Katie trilled, laughing. "Look at them."

The Summer fey stared at Blyth with half-admiration and half-hatred. Then Moriana sat up suddenly, her eyes wide. "Well, that's not everyone our little Blythy attracted."

Katie's eyes widened too and her mouth formed a little, red O. Blyth, still holding Keenan, turned to see a tall, slender faery leaning against a tree. He was wearing plain traveler's clothing and a hat on his golden-white curls. But everything about him screamed power to Blyth. As if he radiated with it. The frost he sent her way caused her to jump in surprise. He merely laughed and turned away, a small smirk on his alluring face.

"Wow." Katie sighed. "Who is that?"

But the feary was already gone, off into the forest from whence he came. The other Winter and Summer fey went about their business as if nothing had happened. Some glanced in the direction his figure had disappeared.

"I don't know." Moriana replied thoughtfully. "But he certainly was interested in you, Blyth."

Blyth could still feel her heart hammering in her chest. "He only looked for a second."

But deep inside she was reveling in the moment, because she knew he had been interested in her, for whatever reason she couldn't guess.

* * *

_Who the f*** is this new faery? Well, I took a few liberties (uh-hem *artistic liscence*) and made another OC character. He'll be revealed in the next chapter. :)_


End file.
